Home Office

Exclusion Orders: EEA Nationals

lord hain: Her Majesty's Government how many EEA nationals were prevented from entering the UKon the grounds of (1) public policy, (2) public security, and (3) public health, in each of the last five years, under the derogations provided forby Article 27 of the Citizens' Rights Directive 2004/38/EC.

baroness williams of trafford: Due to the way in which data is recorded for the refusal of admission of European Economic Area nationals, it is not possible to provide figures on refusals by reason of public policy, public security and public health To establish this information would incur a disproportionate cost as it would involve the examination of individual records.

Deportation: EEA Nationals

lord hain: Her Majesty's Government how many EEA nationals weredeported fromthe UKon the grounds of (1) public policy, (2) public security, and (3) public health, in each of the last 5 years, under the derogations provided for by Article 27 of the Citizens' Rights Directive 2004/38/EC.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office does not hold the data requested. Data on the number of EU nationals returned by type are published by the Home Office. The latest 12 months Q3 2016 to Q1 2017 can be found in the attached table.   YearTotal enforced returnsEnforced removalsOther returns from detentionVoluntary returns (excluding returns from detention)Assisted returnsControlled returnsOther verified returnsTotal refused entry at port and subsequently departed2016 Q31,2591,215442110189225162016 Q41,2991,222772020181216062017 Q11,4751,339136180016515801 Table: Returns of EU nationals by type. Information has been extracted from rt_02q of the Returns tables of the latest Immigration Stats release, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/615156/returns1-jan-mar-2017-tables.ods

Free Movement of Labour

lord hain: Her Majesty's Government what analysis they have conducted on the impact of restricting the EU right to free movement to those who already hold a job in the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: There are a number of options as to how EU migration might work once we have left the EU. We are considering various options and it would be wrong to set out further positions at this stage.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Tickets: Sales

lord moynihan: Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect consumers from abuse of the secondary ticket market; and whether they intend to introduce a regulatory regime for that market, including the establishment of an appropriate regulatory authority.

lord prior of brampton: The Government appointed Professor Waterson in 2015 to review consumer protections in the secondary ticketing market. He produced his report last year and in March 2017 the Government responded accepting his report in full and included amendments to the Digital Economy Act designed to enhance protections further. The Government has no plans at this time to introduce additional legislation.

Tickets: Sales

lord moynihan: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the adequacy of resources (a) made available to, and (b) spent by, trading standards services since 2012, to ensure the compliance of the secondary ticket market with relevant legislation, and (2) the impact on those resources of their response to the Waterson review, published on 13 March.

lord prior of brampton: As part of the Government’s response to the Waterson review, National Trading Standards have been tasked with investigating potential enforcement cases against sellers and secondary ticketing websites that do not comply with legislation from within their current and forthcoming annual budgets. The National Trading Standards Board have allocated £300,000 towards investigation work on ticketing for this current financial year. Local Authority Trading Standards also play an important role in tackling consumer detriment. Spending or resourcing decisions are for individual Local Authorities to make. We do not hold the requested data centrally.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

*No heading*

lord alton of liverpool: Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the decision by the High Court of Hong Kong to disqualify four democratically elected members of the Legislative Council; and what representations they are making to the government of China regarding that case.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: In November 2016 the Government expressed concern at the decision by the National People's Congress Standing Committee to express its interpretation of the Basic Law before the conclusion of legal proceedings in Hong Kong against two legislators-elect regarding the validity of their oath-taking.The four cases referred to are a matter for the Hong Kong Courts. We understand that the legislators may appeal against this judgement. It would therefore not be appropriate to comment on what is an ongoing legal matter. We will continue to follow developments closely.

*No heading*

marquess of lothian: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to Turkish authorities to seek the release of Idil Eser, the director of Amnesty International's Turkish branch.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are very concerned by the arrest on 5 July and remanding in custody of Amnesty International's Turkey Director Idil Eser and five other human rights defenders in Turkey. We also remain deeply concerned at the detention of Taner Kilic, Amnesty International's Turkey Chair. The Foreign Secretary urged their release in his speech in Sydney on 27 July. As the Minister for Europe and the Americas set out in his recent statement on these arrests, both the Foreign Secretary and the Prime Minister have raised these arrests in recent discussions with Turkish counterparts. He has also raised the matter with the Turkish Ambassador to London. We continue to urge the Turkish authorities to uphold international standards with regard to the rule of law, including the presumption of innocence, and to protect fundamental rights including freedom of expression and assembly.

*No heading*

marquess of lothian: Her Majesty's Government whether they have had any discussions with the government of United States with regard to the Paris Agreement on climate change and the US's intention to withdraw, since President Trump's press conference with President Macron on 13 July.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Officials at the British Embassy in Washington have regular discussions with representatives of the US Administration on a range of issues, including climate change.

*No heading*

marquess of lothian: Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have hade with the government of India and the government of China to help to defuse current tensions on the Dolam Plateau.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are monitoring developments in the Doklam region closely. The Minister for Asia and the Pacific raised it with the Indian High Commissioner on 19 July, and UK officials have recently discussed it with the Government of China. Both expressed concern and the UK's hope that India and China reach a peaceful resolution.We call on all parties to exercise restraint and ensure channels of dialogue remain open as a means to resolving differences.

*No heading*

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prepare for the 2018 UN High Level Conference on Disarmament.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Government firmly believes that the best way to achieve a world without nuclear weapons is through gradual multilateral disarmament negotiated using a step by step approach and within the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. We will consider our approach to the 2018 UN High Level Conference closer to the time.

UK Joint Delegation to NATO

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government what was the total cost of the Office of the UK's Permanent Representative to NATO in 2016-17.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The 'Cost of Post' to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) for the UK Delegation to NATO in Brussels in Financial Year 2016-17 was £2,953,128. This figure represents the Total Direct Expenditure including Management and Support activity.

UK Joint Delegation to NATO

lord adonis: Her Majesty's Government, as at 1 July, how many staff were attached to the UK Permanent Representation to NATO.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: There are 18 FCO UK-based members of staff and five FCO Locally Engaged members of staff working in UKDel NATO.The Ministry of Defence also supports 18 military personnel and 10 civilian staff in the joint Delegation.

Libya: Politics and Government

lord empey: Her Majesty's Government whom they recognise as the legitimate government of Libya.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains committed to the Government of National Accord and the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA). An inclusive political deal negotiated within the framework of the LPA is the best way of stabilising Libya. We continue to work in support of the Libyan Political Agreement framework through our discussions with Libyan parties, and by working with our international partners and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General.

Libya: Terrorism

lord empey: Her Majesty's Government when they last held discussions with the government of Libya about compensation for UK victims ofweapons supplied by Colonel Gaddafi to the IRA; and what was the outcome of those discussions.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary raised the issue of compensation for the victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism during his meeting with Prime Minister Serraj in Tripoli on 4 May 2017. He emphasised again the importance the UK places on this issue and encouraged the Libyan authorities to engage with UK victims' groups and their representatives. Prime Minister Serraj expressed sympathy with those who had suffered from the previous regime, but it was also clear from his discussion with the Foreign Secretary that the Libyan Government continues to face numerous challenges and that progress on the issue of compensation is likely to remain slow. We continue to make clear to the Libyan authorities that this is a priority issue for the UK.

India: Visas

lord kennedy of southwark: Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India concerning the decision to refuse entry on 17 July to pupils and staff from Poynton High Schoolwho had intended tovisit projects supported by the charity India Direct.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We were made aware of this case only after the pupils and staff from Poynton High School had returned to the UK. It would appear that the group had the wrong category of visa for their trip. This is therefore a matter for the Indian authorities.We have, however, attempted to make contact with the Head Teacher from Poynton High School, and the Member for Macclesfield (David Rutley). We have also lodged an enquiry with the Indian High Commission in London to try and help the school establish what category of visa they should re-apply for.

Cyprus: Politics and Government

lord maginnis of drumglass: Her Majesty's Government, followingthe collapse of the Cyprus Talks at Crans Montana, and in the light of their responsibility to guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of Cyprus, whether they are planning to adopt new or revised tactics to achieve their strategy towards Cyprus; whether their strategy will support the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus achieving international recognition; and whether they will seek to establish direct flights between the UK and Ercan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: It is disappointing that the Conference on Cyprus at Crans Montana ended without agreement. The Government continues to work for a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus that will benefit all Cypriots. We are encouraging all parties to reflect on the outcome and consider the best path ahead.On the question of direct flights, the UK Court of Appeal has confirmed that direct flights from the UK to Ercan would breach obligations under international law.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Building Regulations

lord lee of trafford: Her Majesty's Government which parts of the building regulations they intend to review; when this review will commence; and to what timetable.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government announced on 28 July that, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, Dame Judith Hackitt will chair an independent review to examine current building regulations and fire safety with a particular focus on high rise residential buildings. It will report jointly to the Communities Secretary and the Home Secretary, and will examine:the regulatory system around the design, construction and on-going management of buildings in relation to fire safety;related compliance and enforcement issues;international regulation and experience in this area.

Insulation: Fire Prevention

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: Her Majesty's Government whether theyintend torevise building regulations in the light of tests carried out by the Building Research Establishment on three different types of aluminium composite material cladding combined with different types of insulation; and if so, when.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government announced on 28 July that, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, Dame Judith Hackitt will chair an independent review to examine current building regulations and fire safety with a particular focus on high rise residential buildings. It will report jointly to the Communities Secretary and the Home Secretary, and will examine:the regulatory system around the design, construction and on-going management of buildings in relation to fire safety;related compliance and enforcement issues;international regulation and experience in this area.

Insulation: Fire Prevention

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made ofthe difference between (1) the tests that their Expert Advisory Panelcommissioned fromthe Building Research Establishment following the Grenfell Tower fire, and (2) tests conducted by the building industry which informed decisions relating tothe refurbishment of that block.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: We cannot comment on issues specifically related to Grenfell Tower, as these are matters for the public inquiry and the on-going police investigation.

Insulation: Fire Prevention

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to why those responsible for fire safety within the building industrydid notcarry out the teststhattheir Expert Advisory Panelcommissioned fromthe Building Research Establishment following the Grenfell Tower fire on the performance of three different types ofaluminium composite materialcladding combined with different types of insulation material.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: We cannot comment on tests that have been carried out independently to the current Building Research Establishment testing programme commissioned by the Expert Panel. The Industry has acknowledged that it needs to help co-ordinate the construction industry’s response to the challenges of implementing recommendations from the Expert Advisory Panel and Government. An Industry Response Group has been established to take this forward.

Insulation: Fire Prevention

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: Her Majesty's Government on how manyoccasions they were formally approached by (1)academics, and (2) other personsor bodies,requesting that theyconduct additional tests on the flammability of thecladdingadded tohigh rise buildings such as Grenfell Tower when used in combination with different types of insulation; and whether they intendto revise the guidance relating to such tests and processes.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Department has received representations from a number of bodies about the tests which have been carried out on cladding, and now cladding and insulation installed on high rise buildings. The Government’s approach to these tests is set out in the most recent explanatory note, which can be found (attached) here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/explanatory-note-on-safety-checks-and-testing  



Explanatory note on safety checks 
(PDF Document, 352.16 KB)

Local Government: Investment

lord shipley: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the scale of commercial property investment by some local authorities in recent years; and whether they plan to commission a risk analysis of the financial security of such investments in the event of a decline in property values or an upward trend in interest rates.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Over the past two years the scale and nature of commercial activity has increased significantly. When entering into borrowing or investment decisions, local authorities are required to have regard to a series of statutory codes. Officials have been monitoring developments in this area and are working with the sector to update the control framework with the aim of improving risk management and transparency of decision making.

Department for Exiting the European Union

*No heading*

lord kinnock: Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 13 July (HLWS43), what are (1) the UK obligations to the EU, and (2) the EU obligations to the UK, "that will survive the UK's withdrawal"; and how they intend to resolve those obligations.

baroness anelay of st johns: The terms of the UK’s departure from the EU will depend on negotiations with the EU and other Member States. There is no established precedent for leaving the EU.We are focussed on securing the best possible deal for the United Kingdom as we leave the European Union.The UK is a country that meets its international obligations and we will work with the EU to determine a fair settlement of the UK’s rights and obligations as a departing Member State, in accordance with the law and in the spirit of our continuing partnership.

UK Relations with EU

lord blencathra: Her Majesty's Government, what is their assessment of the reported comments made by the City of London’s special representative to the EU, Jeremy Browne, that the government of France is seeking the weakening of Britain and the City of London; andwhat action they are taking to ensure that EU member states maintain good relations with the UK and the City of London following Brexit.

baroness anelay of st johns: We are going to make the most of the opportunities that leaving the EU presents. We recognise that the City is a global centre of excellence in finance, corporate law and insurance, which EU companies will wish to continue to access. We will be aiming to maintain the City's leading position as one of the key centres of global finance.The government is keenly aware of the importance of the financial services sector to the UK economy. The government has set out its intention to pursue a bold and ambitious free trade agreement with the European Union, and for that agreement to be of greater scope and ambition than any such agreement before it so that it covers sectors crucial to our linked economies such as financial services.Our focus is on working closely with our EU partners to negotiate a successful outcome and the best deal for the UK and the EU. We are confident that such an outcome is in the interests of both sides.

EU Immigration: Migrant Workers

baroness harris of richmond: Her Majesty's Government what proposals they have to protect the acquired rights of (1)European Unionand (2)United Kingdom cross-border and cross-frontier workers, when entering the EU post-Brexit from (a) the UK, (b)Gibraltar, and (c) the Crown dependencies.

baroness anelay of st johns: We recognise that frontier workers enjoy rights under EU law. We are considering in detail the EU proposals for current frontier workers and will share more detail on our position in due course.As stated in the joint technical note on the comparison of EU-UK positions on citizens' rights, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/631038/Joint_technical_note_on_the_comparison_of_EU-UK_positions_on_citizens__rights.pdf, the UK will consider making reciprocal arrangements for EU citizens in Britain and UK nationals in Europe.



EU-UK joint technical note on citizens' rights
(PDF Document, 217.39 KB)

Service Industries: UK Trade with EU

baroness neville-rolfe: Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of relying on agreements under the WTO for trade with the EU27 should an agreement with the EU not be reached by April 2019 in the following services sectors: (1) financial services, (2) professional business services, (3) digital services, (4) creative services, (5) air services, (6) tourism, (7) education, and (8) health-related travel services.

baroness anelay of st johns: The Department for Exiting the EU is working with officials across government and undertaking a programme of analytical work to assess the economic impacts of exiting the European Union across a range of scenarios.As part of our analysis we are looking at more than 50 sectors within the areas of goods; services; financial services; network industries; and agriculture and fisheries as well as cross-cutting regulations. This will inform the UK's position for the negotiations with our EU partners.However, Parliament has asked the Government to protect information that could undermine the UK's negotiating position and the Government will respect this.

Radioisotopes: Imports

lord mendelsohn: Her Majesty's Government what terms they are seeking to agree with the European Union to ensure that no additional delays or restrictions are placed on imports of molybdenum-99 to the UK following the UK's departure from Euratom.

baroness anelay of st johns: The UK’s ability to import medical isotopes from Europe and the rest of the world will not be affected by withdrawal from Euratom.The import or export of medical radioisotopes, including molybdenum-99 is not subject to any Euratom licensing requirements.These isotopes are governed and regulated under the Euratom framework; however, Euratom places no restrictions on the export of medical isotopes to countries outside the EU.It is in everyone’s interest to not disrupt the timely access of treatment to patients; and to ensure that cross-border trade with the EU and Euratom is as frictionless as possible.

EU Action: Parliamentary Scrutiny

lord jay of ewelme: Her Majesty's Government, for each government department, from January to June, on how many occasions the Scrutiny Reserve Resolution was overridden in (1) the House of Lords, and (2) the House of Commons; and in respect of how many documents an override occurred in (a) both Houses,(b) the House of Lords, and (c) the House of Commons.

baroness anelay of st johns: Between January and June 2017, 476 EU proposals and other documents were submitted for scrutiny.Across both Houses there were 66 occasions when the Government supported decisions in the EU Council of Ministers before the scrutiny procedures had been completed by either one or both Scrutiny Committees.In each case the Government explained to the Scrutiny Committees why it was important for the proposal to be supported before clearance had been provided. This period of reporting coincided with the dissolution of Parliament where between the prorogation of Parliament between 27 April and 30 June there was no opportunity for scrutiny by the Commons European Scrutiny Committee and the Committee has yet to be reappointed in the new Parliament. However, Lord Boswell of Aynho was reappointed as Chair of the Lords European Union Committee on 21 June and began considering EU documents and EMs submitted to the Committee on 27 June. As with previous six-monthly periods, the largest category of instrument was fast-moving and sensitive CFSP and EU restrictive measures where there were 29 such instruments adopted before scrutiny could be completed. There was also a package of 27 measures on which HM Treasury submitted EMs on the 2017 National Reform Programmes of Member States other than Greece, which were endorsed by Heads of Government at the June European Council without the opportunity for clearance by either Scrutiny Committee.The figures requested are set out below:Department(1) & (b). House of Lords Override(2) & (c). House of Commons override(a). No. of overrides in both HousesTotal no. of overridesBusiness, Energy and Industrial Strategy1212Culture, Media and Sport1111Communities and Local Government1111Foreign and Commonwealth Office*24312431HM Treasury27302730Home Office1111Totals55665566* In addition to the formal overrides listed here, there were 20 occasions when Council Decisions were adopted prior to scrutiny by the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee due to their limité marking (ie. internal EU limited distribution marking for content not intended to be in the public domain).

Department of Health

Parkinson's Disease

baroness gale: Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are takingto improve access to timely and appropriate support for people with Parkinson's disease who are experiencing anxiety or depression.

lord o'shaughnessy: As set out in Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health the expansion of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services will focus on people with long term conditions, including neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s, and/or medically unexplained symptoms. New psychological therapy provision will see physical and mental health care provision co-located. Therapy will be integrated into existing medical pathways and services – either primary care, or secondary care services including neurology.Although the majority of people with Parkinson’s can be cared for through routine access to primary and secondary care, NHS England commissions the specialised elements of Parkinson’s care that patients may receive from 24 specialised neurological treatment centres across England. Within these centres neurological multidisciplinary teams ensure patients can access a range of health professionals, including neurologists, neurosurgeons, clinical nurse specialists, psychologists, and that they can receive specialised treatment and support, according to their needs.The Neurology Advisory Group will ensure that there is system alignment and a national approach when considering the recommendations, which will be of benefit to patients.NHS England is also working with the Neurological Alliance, following the publication on 5 July 2017 of their report on mental health and neurological conditions, Parity of esteem for people affected by neurological conditions: meeting the emotional, cognitive & mental health needs of neurology patients.A copy of the report is attached.



Mental health and neurological conditions
(PDF Document, 1.89 MB)

Human Papillomavirus: Vaccination

baroness tonge: Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to extend the HPV vaccination programme to boys in the UK; and if so, when.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recently reviewed whether or not the HPV vaccination programme for girls should be extended to adolescent boys.In an interim statement on the 19 July, the JCVI stated that:“Taking the evidence as a whole the Committee therefore is unable to recommend extension of the national HPV programme to adolescent boys according to the most robust cost-effectiveness analyses undertaken.”It also recognised arguments made by stakeholders on the issue of equality of access and noted that these require consideration.A copy of the statement from 19 July is attached.The JCVI is consulting on these interim findings. Subject to the results of the consultation, the JCVI’s final advice is expected in November. The Department will consider and respond to this final advice in due course.



JCVI statement on HPV vaccination
(PDF Document, 219.47 KB)